I tend to think of “in shape” as a mythical state of being I have yet to achieve. I’ve been working out pretty regularly for 10+ years, and am starting to realize I may never arrive at “in-shape-Land.” It’s too amorphous to define, but it’s definitely more of a continuum than a concrete destination. And I’ve never been honest with myself about what “in shape” meant to me.
It’s dangerous to exercise with the goal of getting in shape. It’s far too general and you’ll never know when you get there. And even if you did, you’d have to keep exercising to maintain that level of fitness. To make matters worse, the more “in-shape” you are, the quicker you slide back down the continuum once you stop. Why else does Michael Phelps swim 6 hrs a day? He has to just to maintain his current level and try to improve a few more hundredths of second. It’s a vicious cycle.
Instead of working out to get in shape, I think it is better to set concrete fitness goals with timelines and work toward those. In a way, these are small methods to define what “in shape” means to you. Some examples:
- Walk up the stairs without getting winded
- Do 20 push-ups
- Run 20 minutes without stopping
- Swim a mile
- Lose 10 lbs
- Bike to work
- Bench press your weight
- Complete a triathlon
- Fit into your old jeans
So I’m not going to worry about getting in shape anymore. I’ll continue to work out because makes me feel good, and set some near-term goals so I can track my progress. Otherwise I’m just a hamster in a wheel.
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